There’s a street in New Britain that runs alongside Central Connecticut State University, a university defined by education, ambition and pride. But the street, commonly known as Paul Manafort Drive, tells a different story — a story of scandal, federal crime and political shame. Its name doesn’t represent the spirit of this city anymore.

It’s time to change it. 

The Manafort name is a stain on New Britain’s landscape. Although the street was originally named after Paul Manafort Sr., a former mayor, the public’s perception of the name has been dominated by his son, Paul Manafort Jr., the former Trump campaign chairman who was convicted of fraud. In 2018, Mayor Erin Stewart added “Sr.” to the sign to clarify the namesake. But as Councilman Carlo Carlozzi Jr. rightly pointed out at the time, “adding ‘Sr.’ does not take away the scandal of the Paul Manafort name.” 

Paul Manafort Jr. has admitted to fraud and illegal foreign lobbying. He has been convicted of witness tampering. He spent nearly two years in prison before being released to home confinement in 2020. He was pardoned by President Trump that year, but that doesn’t necessarily restore public trust in him. Manafort had agreed to cooperate with the Mueller investigation on Russian interference in the 2016 election, but he lied to federal prosecutors. His record is not one of public service; it’s one of deception and legal disgrace. So why keep the Paul Manafort name, even with the “Sr.” attached, on a public street?   

Instead, the city has a powerful, inspiring alternative: Ebenezer D. Bassett. A graduate in 1853 of what is now Central Connecticut State University, Bassett was the first African American diplomat in U.S. history, appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1869. He was also the first Black student to attend and graduate from CCSU — in just one year.  

Ebenezer D. Bassett represents integrity. He represents history. He represents New Britain at its best. Nine members of the city’s Common Council voted in 2018 to rename the street Ebenezer D.C Bassett Way. But Mayor Erin Stewart vetoed it.  

The city council has stopped pursuing the name change. I think that it’s worth revisiting. This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about character. And it’s about whom and what we choose to celebrate. 

Paul Manafort Jr. may be back working with some people in President Trump’s circle, but that doesn’t mean the Manafort name belongs in our circle. Let’s make room on our street signs for leaders who earned their honor, not those who were pardoned for dodging it. 

Shaniyah President, of Middletown, N.Y., is a rising senior majoring in communications at Central Connecticut State University.